Albania's Elseid Hysaj, left, tries to stop Serbia's Dusan Tadic during the group I Euro 2016 qualifying match between Albania and Serbia at the Elbasan Arena in Elbasan, central Albania, Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
The Associated Press
ELBASAN, Albania (AP) - Serbia snatched a late 2-0 over Albania with injury-time goals from Aleksandar Kolarov and Adem Ljajic, stunning the hosts in a tense European qualifier.
The match took place a year after the two sides met in a violent confrontation in Belgrade involving a drone flown onto the pitch.
The Albanians fought tirelessly for possession, but 12,000 fans at Elbasan Arena were silenced when Kolarov fired in at an angle and Ljajic added the second moments later following a solo run.
Police imposed heavy security but Serbian fans stayed away, and Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic also turned down an invitation to attend.
"Overall, I think we deserved the win. We sustained a lot of pressure at the start of the game and lost concentration for a spell in the second half," Serbia coach Radovan Curcic said.
"But we came here to score a goal and that's what we did. We regained our composure late in the game and that was decisive."
Albania is guaranteed a playoff spot, but Thursday's result saw the Eagles suffer a setback in their quest for a direct place in their first major tournament.
The hosts pressed throughout the game but created few chances, the best also coming late in the match. Taulant Xhaka fired across the Serbian goal in the 60th minute. And Sokoi Cikalleshi sent a powerful shot toward goal in the 76th but it was well saved by Vladimir Skojkopvic
"We should have been more careful at the end after showing maturity during the match," Albanian captain Lorik Cana. "They were expecting that moment to catch us by surprise in a counterattack. We should have stopped that."
Albania's Prime Minister Edi Rama watches the group I Euro 2016 qualifying match between Albania and Serbia at the Elbasan Arena in Elbasan, central Albania, Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015. (AP Photo/Hektor Pustina)
The Associated Press
Albania fans wait to be searched by police before the Group I Euro 2016 qualifying match between Albania and Serbia in Elbasan, central Albania, Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015. More than 2,000 officers will police the politically-charged match. A game between the countries _ who remain at odds over the status of now-independent Kosovo _ was interrupted by violence in Belgrade last year after a drone carrying a nationalist Albanian banner hovered over the pitch. (AP Photo/Visar Kryeziu)
The Associated Press
Serbia's Stefan Mitrovic, right, fights of the ball with Albania's Bekim Balaj during the group I Euro 2016 qualifying match between Albania and Serbia at the Elbasan Arena in Elbasan, central Albania, Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015. (AP Photo/Hektor Pustina)
The Associated Press
Albania fans wait to be searched by police before the Group I Euro 2016 qualifying match between Albania and Serbia in Elbasan, central Albania, Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015. More than 2,000 officers will police the politically-charged match. A game between the countries _ who remain at odds over the status of now-independent Kosovo _ was interrupted by violence in Belgrade last year after a drone carrying a nationalist Albanian banner hovered over the pitch. (AP Photo/Visar Kryeziu)
The Associated Press
Albania fans wait to be searched by police before the Group I Euro 2016 qualifying match between Albania and Serbia in Elbasan, central Albania, Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015. More than 2,000 officers will police the politically-charged match. A game between the countries _ who remain at odds over the status of now-independent Kosovo _ was interrupted by violence in Belgrade last year after a drone carrying a nationalist Albanian banner hovered over the pitch. (AP Photo/Visar Kryeziu)
The Associated Press
Serbia's Dusan Tadic, left, fights for the ball with Albania's Andi Lila during the group I Euro 2016 qualifying match between Albania and Serbia at the Elbasan Arena in Elbasan, central Albania, Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015. (AP Photo/Hektor Pustina)
The Associated Press
Residents watch a security drill from apartment windows outside the Elbasan Arena before the group I Euro 2016 qualifying match between Albania and Serbia in Elbasan, central Albania, Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015. More than 2,000 officers will police the match. A game between the countries _ who remain at odds over the status of now-independent Kosovo _ was interrupted by violence in Belgrade last year after a drone carrying a nationalist Albanian banner hovered over the pitch. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
The Associated Press